The Bad Piano Player: Recent Episodes
John Wing Jr.
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This week, the bad piano player finally gets around to featuring the great Victor Young, song and score composer. Songs you know and songs you may not know. Tune in for both and be dazzled by Victor.
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This Week, The Bad Piano Player does an episode of slightly obscure jazz songs of the 1940s. We call it, Mostly Forgotten Jazz Songs Of The 1940s. Songs, Stories, a little Duke Ellington, a little Sunny Skylar, and a whole lot of diminished chords. Tune in for the resolutions.
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This week, the bad piano player goes back to the 1970s, and finds some classics hiding in the cellar of the Billboard top 100. Hope you can drop by for the memories. Tunes ahoy!
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This week, the bad piano player returns to a topic that got the most downloads last season. And I’m not just doing it to enhance my popularity in Taiwan. Please enjoy Baby Songs Two!
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The Bad Piano Player returns to a stalwart, a composer everybody knows and nobody knows with our fourth Harry Warren episode. Seven fabulous songs from the master of melody and progression, with Lyrics by Johnny Burke, Gus Kahn, Al Dubin, Ira Gershwin, Edgar Leslie, Mort Dixon and Joe Young. Only the best for my listeners. Tune in for tunefulness!
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This week the bad piano player features lyricist Lew Brown, born Louis Brownstein in Odessa , Russia in 1893. He estimated that he had collaborated on more than seven thousand songs in his career. We’re learning a small percentage of those for this episode. Tune in!
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This week the bad piano player rights a great wrong and finally does a second Gus Kahn episode. The lyricist extraordinaire, who worked with literally every major popular song composer from 1915 to the early 1940s. First featured in season 1, episode 11, he makes his encore appearance now in season 7, episode 186. Words for the tunes, my friends.
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This week, the bad piano player does his second-ever Blues episode, featuring composer Clarence Williams, 1893-1965. Six of his best, five provided by our special friend Norman. Tune in for some blues history and some great blues played by a bad pianist!
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This Fortnight Tuesday, the bad piano player returns to Broadway to feature a great composer who was active on the Great White Way for more than forty years. Tune in for the Cy Coleman story and stay for the songs.
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This week, the bad piano player pulls together six songs from the (kind of) miscellaneous file and makes a wonderful episode out of them. We call it Grab Bag Four. Tune in and see if you can spot your favorite!
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This week, the bad piano player goes even further back into obscure composers of the American songbook, to find George Meyer 1884-1959, born in Boston and wrote a lot of music, including the classic For Me And My Gal, which, you guessed it, we won't be doing. Tune in for the tunes, stay for the lyrics!
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This week, the bad piano player finally gives a songwriter a rare fourth episode. We had to find six really depressing Tom Waits songs, but luckily, he wrote a lot for us to choose from. No repeats fourth T Waits. Tune in and wallow in the Brechtian mood swings on this one, kids.
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This week the Bad Piano Player revisits Mack Gordon, the cigar chomping, fun loving American lyricist, and Harry Revel, the reserved British composer, for the third time. Are all the songs classics? Well if they aren't, kids, they OUGHT to be. Tune in for the sparkling gems of yesteryear!
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This week, the bad piano player features another famous sister act, the New Orleans close-harmony trio of Vet, Connie and Martha, the Boswell Sisters. Their unique sound - well, we won't be able to reproduce that - had a profound effect on the music of the 30's and 40's, and their influence as singers continues to this day. Tune in and hear their songs and story.
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To open Season 7, (!!!) The bad piano player and the improving singer brings you songs by the great unknown American composer Pete Wendling. Composer of Yacka Hula Hickey Dula. Which means, Tune In! in Hawaiian. Welcome one, welcome all! See you around the piano.
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The Bad Piano Player presents a special Christmas episode just for you. And you, and you, and you, too. I checked the list twice and you all qualify! We feature Holiday songs you may not know, some you might, and old-friend composers and lyricists like Gus Kahn, Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke, Meredith Willson. Listen to this one in front of the fire with a full stocking and a hot toddy. Merry Christmas to one and all.
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For our Season Six Finale, the bad piano player and the improving singer revisit the composer Hoagy Carmichael, learning six songs never before done on the podcast. Some you might know, I'm guessing most you won't. Thanks for a wonderful season six. Christmas episode coming December 16th and season seven starts January 20, 2026! See y'all there!
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This week, the Bad Piano Player features the Kansas City Mozart, the vaudeville teenage improviser, the composer with the mostest, sometimes referred to as the "Female Gershwin". Finally in her own episode, the great Dana Suesse. Tune in to hear me try to pronounce her name!
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After featuring him in a team episode (with Irving Kahal) and several times with single songs in other episodes, Sammy Fain finally gets his very own episode. Six of the best from this incredibly versatile, completely self-taught composer. Tune in for great tunes!
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This fortnight Tuesday the Bad Piano Player does a special episode of songs that lay dormant for many years before bursting onto the charts. We call it Not Hits -- Hits! Tune in for the discoveries.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player gives it his all with Bandleader, composer, arranger, and occasional movie actor Ted Fiorito. Never heard of him, you say? Well, then you're in for a gigantic treat, aren't you? Come for the tunes, stay for the tunes. Tune in!
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This week, episode 171 of the Bad Piano player podcast, we feature the great composer Harold Spina with his own episode. We learn six of his songs. And I play them. Badly. (It's in the name, people). Maybe not too badly. I also sing them, not too badly, I hope. And Elroy has an announcement. Kidding! He'll be playing with his phone as usual. Tune in anyway.
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The Bad Piano Player beats the post-Labor Day blues with a new episode we call 1960's Romance. Six songs from the nineteen-sixties, speaking of lost love, found love, misplaced love, "It was here yesterday..."A simple group of songs for a simpler time. Plus some harmonies from Mrs Pretty Damn Good Singer. But you must tune in to hear it!
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The Bad Piano Player is in tune with the tides this week, featuring old and new friends with songs about the moon in an episode we call "Moon Songs". Which, according to Elroy, is a catchy title. We're all about the sea of tranquility this week. Tune in and share the Moon light. We learn the songs so you don't have to!
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This week, the Bad Piano Player features Big Band Leaders of the 1940s in a special episode we call "Big Band Leaders". Some famous, some not so famous, songs galore, a tale or two and the usual bad piano playing and oversinging. It's what we do! Tune in and be transported.
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The podcast features Allie Wrubel this week. Sax player in big bands, Broadway composer, movie composer, Oscar winner, and all around musical fellow. Tune in for tunes! Stay for the bad piano playing! A virtual tour of the Nepotism Studio awaits the winner of next week's sponsorship contest! See you there, kids.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player goes way back to an obscure lyricist/occasional composer named Benny Davis. Was that his real name? Did he write any famous lyrics? Is he a member of the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame? To answer these and other pertinent (Where is Elroy??) queries, please tune in, music fans!
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This week, the bad piano player does his third grab bag episode, finding six songs that defy category and are pleasing to the ear and heart, Tune in and be pleased, my darlings.
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For episode 164, the Bad Piano Player celebrates songs with the word "Baby" in the title, or as we quaintly call it..."Baby Songs". Grab your pacifiers, kids, and settle in! Ah one, ah two, ah one, two, three...
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This week, the bad piano player brings back his favorite theme from last season, with a second go-round of Most Obscure Songs. A little Bowie, perhaps? Some Edward Bear? A dollop of J. Tull, my darlings? Tune in and be dazzled by the unknown.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player brings together a superb singer and a master lyricist. The singer is Peggy Lee, and so is the lyricist. And baby, is she gonna give you some fever. In the morning and all through the night. Tune in for the cure.
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This week, the bad piano player features old friend composers and lyricists for songs that Dick Powell, boy singer, sang in the movies early in his career. Later he was the first man ever to play Philip Marlowe onscreen, but in the 30's he was sweet-faced heart-throb tenor Dick, who charmed the ladies with music. We hope you'll tune in and be charmed as well.
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The Bad Piano player celebrates Tax Day with the third of the "Songwriters You've Never Heard Of" episode, featuring composer/lyricist Billy Hill, who wrote more western-style songs than Gene Autry and you won't believe what his most famous song was. Tune in to hear it done by a bad piano player!
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April Fools Fortnight Tuesday begins with our second "Songwriters You've Never Heard Of" episodes with the tuneful Joe Burke. A Tin Pan Alley veteran, Philadelphia born Joe had a bevy of Billboard hits in the 1930s. And an inaugural class inductee to the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. Tune in to enjoy the bevy!
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This week, the Bad Piano Player begins a series of three "Songwriters You've Never Heard Of" episodes and we begin with Fats Domino's favorite lyricist, the great Al Lewis. Why was he Fats Domino's fave lyricist? Tune and find out!
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This fortnight, we finally honor the most excellent Oscar Hammerstein the second with his own episode. Six songs will be learned. Three Kerns, and three Rodgers. It's going to be semi-epic, kids. Tune in to be enthralled by the master lyricist. (And semi-enthralled by the bad piano player, right, Elroy? Right??)
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This week, the Bad Piano Player goes for a second Ray Noble episode, with the emphasis on Ray's longtime vocalist, the great Al Bowlly. We'll be learning six songs Al recorded, five written by Ray. And the sometimes okay singer will be channeling his best voice to even approach the perfection of Al Bowlly's voice. Tune in to see how we do!
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This week, the Bad Piano Player takes two Bing Crosby movies from the mid 1930s, and pulls three Gordon & Revel songs from each one. Hence: Two Movies - Six Songs. We throw in some synopses and a plot or two, some scenery ideas. You know, maybe some throw pillows. Elroy thinks the Nepotism Studio would look better in purple. Tune in for the songs, stay for the stories.
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We begin season six of the Bad Piano Player Podcast with a look at Oscar nominated songs from the 1940s -- that did NOT win. Some lost to better songs. Others lost to, well....crap. But we picked some corkers for you, our loyal listeners. Tune in and enjoy.
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It's the Season finale, friends! Season five has come and gone and we celebrate with a great songwriting team and their hits. Roy Turk and Fred Ahlert wrote some classics for you to rediscover today! Thanks for all your support and we'll see you January 21st (That's a Tuesday) for Season Six!
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The penultimate episode of season five finds the bad piano player doing a second grab bag episode featuring two Oscar Levant compositions, a Johnny Burke we missed for his episode, a Hy Zaret restaurant classic, and many more. Okay two more. Tune in to find out and be the music, kids
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This week, the Bad Piano Player features composer Ray Henderson, charter member of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, writer of Animal Crackers In My Soup, Bye Bye, Blackbird, Don't Bring Lulu, The Birth of The Blues, The Best Things In Life Are Free, The Thrill Is Gone, and you're not going to believe this, but we're not doing ANY of those! Tune in to hear the six we did learn!
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This week, in response to many emails and texts, the Bad Piano Player decided we couldn't wait until Robbie Burns day or St. Patrick's day to do another Celtic songs episode. The demand was too great! So we learn six songs from the cradle of golf and whiskey. Aged in the wood, and sung with our special mediocre care. And of course I'm kidding. We didn't get any emails or texts. Enjoy, my lads and lassies.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player introduces a lyricist-slash-songwriter we've featured before, but never in his own episode. The wonderful Johnny Burke, he of "Pennies From Heaven" and "Moonlight Becomes You" fame gives us six of his best! Tune in and smell the music.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player takes his second crack at the Glasgow-born, Newcastle-raised Mark Knopfler, with seven songs (Seven? YES! SEVEN) from his solo career. Including YOUR favorite! (I hope). Tune in to listen to a guitar virtuoso interpreted by a bad piano player. It's gonna be scary, kids!
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The Bad Piano player first featured lyricist Mitchell Parish in his own episode four years ago. Episode five, season one. We thought it high time this prolific poet had a second six songs featured. We wish we could promise no Arms-Charms rhymes, but we can't. Them's the breaks. Tune in and hang with the cool kids, kids!
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This week, we feature composer Lew Pollack, born in New York City in 1895. Have you heard of him? No? Well you've heard his music, I feel reasonably sure. The bad piano player would bet this episode on it. Tune in for the classics and the obscures.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player features the most most obscure song he could find for six of his favorite modern singers and songwriters. We call the episode Their Most Obscure. Amazing how that works out. Tune in and maybe we’ll do your fave obscure song!
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This week's episode features lyricist Edgar Leslie, 1885-1976, whose canon includes many famous songs we're not going to do! In accordance with the Bad Piano Player manifesto, we bring you six Edgar Leslie lyrics you probably don't know, but trust me, they rock! Or perhaps I should say, they bounce. Tune in for the words, stay for the music. Set a spell, take your shoes off...
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This week, the Bad Piano Player takes a look at the short-lived Song Hits magazine of the mid 1930s. They included music and we're doing three each from three issues in 1935. Songs written by some people we know and some we don't. Tune and sit back. It's going to be old-school musical!
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This week, our post Canada Day episode features the Australian born, Judy Garland discovery, singer-songwriter Peter Allen. Composer, lyricist, singer, one-man show dynamo. Gone too soon. Six of our picks of his best. Enjoy, kids, in the full flower of summer.
This Fortnight Tuesday, the Bad Piano Player, who has featured Harry Warren, Tom Waits, Irving Berlin, Sam Coslow and Frank Loesser three times, gives a third episode honor to James V Monaco. And as always, we hope you enjoy this well deserved inclusion. Tune in and be dazzled again by his great music.
For our first June episode, the Bad Piano Player features jazz violinist, composer and arranger Matt Malneck (1903-1981). New Jersey born songwriter who has long deserved and finally gets his own episode. Tune in, kids, because it is gonna swing.
This week, the Bad Piano Player goes into his bag of Sam Coslow songs and stories for-- would you believe it-- a third time! Six great songs and fabulous stories to go along with 'em. Mae West, Garbo, Mabel Normand, and some sketchy singing too! How can it miss, when the chorus goes like this! Tune in, my darlings. I'll be at the piano.
This week, Fortnight Tuesday brings two more giants of the American songbook, the team of Irving Kahal, lyricist, and Sammy Fain, composer, both members of the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame, and two men we've featured before, but at last they get the singular honor of their own private, six-song episode. Tune in, my beauties, and be enchanted.
This week, the Bad Piano Player assays the redoubtable Ralph Rainger; composer, arranger, accompanist, preparer of piano rolls, bandleader, and oh yes, lawyer. Film composer nonpareil in a bright but short career. You may not have heard of him, but you have heard him. Tune in, Raingers!
This week, the bad piano player features violinist, composer, director, screenwriter, and in his time, Da Hardest Workin' Man in Show Bidness. Say hello to Victor Schertzinger, director of 88 films and holder of 146 soundtrack credits. Tune in, kids. It's gonna be epic.
This week, the Bad Piano Player assays a composer/bandleader/singer you've never heard of. I swear! Radio and recording star of the 1930's Jack Little, who was of course known as Little Jack Little, not to be confused with the vaudeville Little Jack Little, who was only four feet five inches tall. No! Not that guy. The other guy! Tune in, kids. Gonna be epic.
This week, the Bad Piano Player does his second foray into the incredible career of songwriter Sam Coslow. From New York, Tin Pan Alley, to Hollywood, and finally, Wall Street. As always, with songs! Tune in, kids.
This week, the Bad Piano Player finds a songbook with old friends Mitchell Parish, Carl Sigman, Frank Loesser, and Harry Warren in it. And we throw in a Mack Gordon for good measure. It's gonna be old timey and old movie as well, so get some popcorn and set a spell. Elroy, get some refreshments for our guests.
This week, the bad piano player assays the Oklahoma born songwriter Jimmy Webb, born in Elk City 77 years ago. Winning a song of the year Grammy award at age 21 didn't slow this guy down one bit, kids. Tune in for six of the best.
This week, after 130 episodes, the Bad Piano player finally does a Gershwin episode. Six little slices of long intensive rehearsal heaven. We hope you will indulge a bad piano player in his admiration for the King of Rock 'N Rhapsody. Tune in. The mistakes will be AWESOME.
For our first episode of season five the bad piano player will feature Morris Gittler and Harry Glaser, known to their fans as Mack Gordon and Harry Revel, a New York AND Hollywood songwriting team from 1928 to 1939. Please enjoy these songs responsibly.
The Bad Piano Player's season four finale will feature six songs, and the composers of same may surprise you. I'm hoping they will surprise you a lot, so even if they don't, look....ACT SURPRISED, okay? Sheesh. Thanks to all our listeners for a great fourth season! See you In January!
This week, in our fourth season's penultimate episode, we sing some songs about trains. "If they freed me from this prison, if that railroad train was mine....I bet I'd move it on a little farther down the line..." We won't be doing that one, but you should tune in anyway. It'll be a fun journey. Get an upper berth.
This week the Bad Piano Player features composer, lyricist, music publisher, & financial analyst Sam Coslow. We've featured him occasionally before, but never for his own episode, so tune in and hear the classics, Sam Coslow-style..
I know that many of my listeners wonder, "Is there a genre The BPP hasn't done? Well there is! And it's today!! And it's sacred music. Lots of hymns and good feelings between people. And no, we won't be doing Norman Greenbaum's 'Spirit In The Sky'. Sheesh. Tune in and pray on.
The Bad Piano Player revisits the home of an old musical friend this week, with six new songs from the remarkable career of New Englander Harry Woods. From New England to New York to Olde England to Hollywood to gentleman farmer, join us for the journey.
This week, the Bad Piano Player goes back to his roots in comedy and adds some extra, just for you with our Humorous Songs episode! From making fun of the Irish in the early 1900s to making fun of the English 50 years later, and all the way to the 70s with genius Victoria Wood, we go for the funny with melodies. Tune in!
Fortnight Tuesday approaches like a peace train in this wild world. This week, the Bad Piano Player brings tea for the tillerman and steak for the sun with an episode all about Steven Gheorgiou-Cat Stevens-Yusuf Islam. But mostly the middle name. Tune in or Catch bull at four.
The Bad Piano Player features our second James V. Monaco episode this week, and not just because we found six more great songs of his, NO! But more because podcast episode don’t grow on trees, y’know. Tune in, kids!
This week, the Bad Piano Player features Irish born lyricist Jimmy Kennedy. From Omagh to London, to New York, to Hollywood and back, in a long and storied career. And we won't be doing any of his really famous songs. Okay, maybe one. Tune in, kids!
This week, the Bad Piano Player deep dives into the career of 1930s-40s Native American Jazz singer Mildred Bailey. Known as The Queen Of Swing and The Rockin' Chair Lady. Born on the Coeur D'Alene reservation and the woman who introduced Bing Crosby to the music of Louis Armstrong. It's gonna be epic, kids. Tune in!
This week, the Bad Piano Player finds six unbelievably obscure movies from the 1930's and plays you a song from each one. Prepare to be dazzled by story lines you've heard before, a million times, and enjoy the songs that would otherwise be forgotten! Tune in early and often.
This week, the Bad Piano Player returns to his youthful indiscretions, some of which actually occurred in his youth. We profile the soulful career of Jackson Browne, mostly the early career, with a soupcon of the later period, because hey, it's my podcast. Enjoy, sweethearts, enjoy.
This week, the Bad Piano Player features people you may not have heard of, people who've been featured before, and some cool songs you probably don't know in an episode we call "Grab Bag". Open it up and find the surprises inside!
This week the bad piano player looks at six songs from the 1970s. Some one hit wonders, some odd choices, I guess we would call them anomalies. Suffice to say they all bring back high school for your truly. Tune in and travel back there with us.
This week, The Bad Piano Player returns to his roots in early 20th century American popular song by featuring the Italian born composer James Monaco, who spent four decades writing excellent melodies for bad piano players and not bad singers. Tune in and feel the joy he brings.
This week, the Bad Piano Player travels across the pond to rediscover a British composer relatively unknown in North America. Noel Gay (1898-1954), wrote songs, film scores, and operettas plus his publishing company is still influential today. Tune in and find out why.
This week, the Bad Piano Player will be reflecting on the amazing career of Perry Como, the singing barber, featuring songs he sang on radio and TV but never recorded. We will do our best not to sing as well as Perry Como, in order not to embarrass him. Tune in!
This week, The Bad Piano Player revisits two of his favorite composers, Mabel Wayne and Doris Fisher, with songs you may know, songs you may not know, and songs you’ll say “Wow! SHE wrote that?” Tune and find out!
The Bad Piano Player chimes in on fortnight Tuesday with a selection of Jerome Kern classics. The remarkable Mr. Kern has vexed us in the past but we decided it was time to feature his sublime melodies for a whole episode. All yours for the downloading. Do not delay!
This week, the Bad Piano Player features songs done by Sister Acts in Vaudeville. There will be no Chekhov quotes or Pointers, or even Dionne quintuplets. But please tune in anyway. As Alice Walker wrote, "Is solace anywhere more comforting than that in the arms of a sister?"
Today the Bad Piano Player answers the age-old question nobody ever asks: What were Musicals like 100 years ago, anyway? We feature musicals from the 1920s in a display of hubris that has you all thinking, "No, NO, Nanette!" Tune in, turn on, learn some old songs.
The Bad Piano Player today features a singer with a 3-and- a-half-octave range, and a songwriter whose two biggest hits were written by other people. And they're the same guy. Say hello to Harry Nilsson! Called the doctor, woke him up! Tune in.
For the first Episode of Season Four, the Bad Piano Player returns to a composer from the first season. Born Chester Babcock, but we know him as Jimmy Van Heusen. Today we're looking at the 1940's when he and Johnny Burke were Bing Crosby's personal songwriters. Enjoy, kids! Mellow greetings. Yukie Dukie.
This week, the Bad Piano Player drops his second ever Christmas episode. A little history, some favorite carols and one Christmas classic song with a lyric by an old BPP fave, Mitchell Parish. Peace on earth, goodwill to all people. See you in 2023!
For the Bad Piano Player’s Season finale, we’re featuring two songs each by three of our favorite lyricists and/or composers. There’s Frankie and Johnny and Harry and Teddy and just tune in kids! The fun will be contagious.
This week, the Bad Piano Player travels to six of his favorite cities and sings a song about each of them in our long awaited second place names episode. Tune in and thanks for waiting!
This week, The Bad Piano player features a long forgotten singer. The flapper who became a cartoon. The Britney Spears of the 1920s. Miss Helen Kane. Boop boop-a-doop, people!
This week, the Bad Piano Player explores the first of the 1970's new wave in Britain. No, not Elvis Costello. The first was Graham Parker. We journey through the career of the boy from Hackney who grew up to write songs and sing them. That's the Rumour, anyway. Come join us.
This week, the Bad Piano Player returns to Canada for a regional songfest for Nova Scotia, long a hotbed of musical styles and topics. We also introduce our new statistician, Elroy! Tune in for no great mischief.
This week, the Bad Piano Player takes three songwriters featured singly before, and combines them, featuring the six year period they were a team and wrote some of the biggest and longest lasting hits of the late 1920s. Be listening up, kids!
This week, the Bad Piano Player learns six Ray Noble Songs. And they’re not famous ones, either. We had already done all his famous ones. A fixture on the New York Hotel Ballroom music scene for 30 years and one hell of a songwriter. Tune in!
This week, the Bad Piano Player tries out songs about Humorous Ladies. Or perhaps we should say, Humorous songs about Ladies. Their names are in the titles and if you don't find them funny, well...that's on you. Tune in!
This week, the Bad Piano Player plays six love songs from six different decades, in order. Why would he do that, you ask? Well clearly, he's running out of ideas. Tune in for this and other contrivances!
This week the Bad Piano Player returns to an earlier time, an earlier podcast, and another crack at forgotten musical genius Isham Jones. We’re calling this one, “Isham Jones 2”. Catchy, eh?
This week, the Bad Piano Player goes all modern again and does the bad boy songwriter of L.A. rock, the Letterman favorite, the Ronstadt reliable, the excitable boy, Warren Zevon. Keyboardist, master of the snark-witty lyric, and all-around rascal and rake. Tune it up!
This week, the Bad Piano Player returns to his roots, and for those of you old enough to remember the radio dance bands of the 1940's, you're both in luck, as we feature the theme songs of six radio shows from the World War two era. Please tune your podcast dial to us, and enjoy this blast from the way, way back.
This week, the Bad Piano Player plays a little "Three-Chord Monte" as we assay the late singer songwriter and former Illinois Mailman, John Prine. Sad songs, great lyrics, C's, F's, and a lotta G7ths. Tune in, darlings!
This week, the Bad Piano Player digs deep into the music cabinet for six forgotten love songs. One or two you may know, but there are SO many. Tune in!
This week, the Bad Piano Player knocks one off his bucket list, featuring actor, singer, poet, playwright, novelist, songwriter, and all around clever Dick, Sir Noel Coward. Do be good enough to tune in, won’t you?
This week, the Bad Piano Player grooves on the oft married, always rocking country boy, the great Steve Earle. Tune in!
AT CARNEGIE HALL: This week, the Bad Piano Player goes back to 1972, featuring songs an 82 year old Groucho Marx sang at his one-man show at Carnegie Hall. Will you download? Will you tell your friends? Answer the second question first!
This week, the Bad Piano Player, a veteran of almost 40 years on the road, turns his attention to songs of the traveler. Catch this train.
This week's episode of the Bad Piano Player podcast takes the Thingummy-Bob around the marble arch because there'll always be an England when you're singing six songs by Dame Gracie Fields, biggest box office draw in Britain in 1937. Get in line early for this one, kids!
This week, the Bad Piano Player grabs the green beer and hopes you're in heaven before the devil knows you're dead, as we once again assay the Irish in all of us with six of the best. Tune in!
This week, the Bad Piano Player tears through another songbook published in the 1950s and we learn six great songs because that's the damn point of this.
This week, the Bad Piano Player assays one of his favourite singer-songwriters. The wonderful Mark Knopfler, from Dire Straits to his soaring solo career. May it please the court of downloaders. Tune in.
This week, the Bad Piano Player weighs anchor, casts off his lines and heads out to sea, tossing his fate to le quatre vents as we sing Sea Shanties with our eyes along the horizon. Tune in.
The Bad Piano Player, in a remarkable display of hubris, assays the King of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley, this week. First name properly pronounced, Evvis. Tune in, groupies.
In the first episode of season 3, The Bad Piano Player features the Great Trombone Player, with a group of songs Tommy Dorsey recorded in the 1930's & 40s. Come and join me and the Sentimental Gentleman Of Swing.
In the season's final episode, the Bad Piano Player gives you some old, some new, some he wrote, and some just for you. Please forgive the mistakes and remember, he's not called the Bad Piano Player for nothing. Thanks and tune in!
This week the Bad Piano Player again goes all modern with a songwriter from the late 1960s to early 70s. You don't mess around with Jim Croce. Enjoy.
This week, the Bad Piano Player looks at songs from the first year Billboard Magazine published the Hit Parade. Welcome to Songs of 1936! Tune in!
This week, the bad piano player assays the great lyricist Lorenz "Larry" Hart. Why did we wait so long? Because his composer-partner was Richard Rodgers, who is also featured. Please enjoy our look at Rodgers & Hart.
With out "One Decade Forward, One Century Back" policy, the Bad Piano Player retreats to the mid 19th century for this week's episode featuring the father of American popular music, Stephen Foster.
Can the Bad Piano Player do an episode on 60's songs without doing The Beatles? As it turns out, yes he can! Right now this week!
As a boy, the Bad Piano Player loved going to the movies, so this week, he's featuring six songs written for movies, from 1929 to 1965. Composers, plot lines, and some of the usual suspects! Tune in!
Again this week, the Bad Piano Player takes a dive into Tom Waits, learning six songs from the great album "Mule Variations." Tune us in.
The Bad Piano Player returns to his roots this week with an episode of Jazzy 1940s torch songs. Well, okay, most of them are torch songs, certainly enough to burn this baby down. And kids, please don't play with matches.
This week, the Bad Piano Player revisits musicals of the past for some great song and great memories. Musicals you'll remember, songs you might not.
This week, the Bad Piano Player goes on strike for better working conditions. He holds up a sign saying MORE DOWNLOADS, as we explore the history of Union Songs and Socialist music in America in the last two centuries.
This week, the Bad Piano Player plucks a gem of a lyricist from the royal palace of Madagascar as we feature the great Andy Razaf and his wonderful composer partners, Fats Waller included.
This week, the bad piano player goes back in time, revisiting a songbook from his boyhood piano. Robbins Mammoth Book of World Famous Songs.
This week, The Bad Piano Player goes modern again with the poet, singer, guitarist, songwriter, Buddhist and Montrealer, the mystical Leonard Cohen. "Go by brooks, love..."
This week, the Bad Piano Player goes over the amazing career of Dorothy Fields, the first woman ever enshrined in the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
A little more than a year after his first foray into the melodic stylings of Hoagy Carmichael, the Bad Piano Player returns for a second bite at this perfect Indiana apple.
This week, the Bad Piano Player rights a great wrong by finally getting around to the father of country music, as we feature Jimmie Rodgers. The Just Okay Singer will be along, as well as our new guest, The Bad Yodeler. Enjoy!
This week, the Bad Piano Player is zapping through his list of favourite Broadway songs. Rumour has it, toes will be a-tappin'!
This week, the Bad Piano Player has progressed enough to attempt some of the more difficult Frank Loesser numbers, with a special spotlight on Guys and Dolls. Lyricist, melodies, musicals...I've got the Frank right here!
This week, the Bad Piano Player takes a third dive into Harry Warren while saluting his longtime number one fan. 2
This week, the Bad Piano Player finally gets around to Burton Lane, last of the Gershwin acolytes. Six songs so hard we had to bring in a good pianist for the last one. Enjoy!
This week, the bad piano player will be featuring lyricist Mort Dixon. What? You've never heard of him? Well then you'd better tune in, because he's AWESOME.
The Bad Piano Player liked the pre-1920 music from last week so much, that he decided to do a whole episode of pre-1920 music, including two songs on either side of World War I. Set a spell, take your shoes off...
Finally, at episode 57, the Bad Piano Player assays the great George M. Cohan. Why did he wait so long? Tune in to find out!
This week, the bad piano player tackles Harry Woods, a virtually unknown songwriter who wrote at least five standards, including "Side By Side".
This week, the Bad Piano Player takes a second dive into the impressive catalog of Sam Stept, including his most famous song, and several of his not-so-famous songs. Don't sit where?
This week, the Bad Piano Player dives back into his file of female composers and lyricists. The famous and the not-so-famous. See what the girls in the back room are having and tell them I'm not having the same.
This week, the Bad Piano Player finally gets around to Kalmar and Ruby: gagwriters, screenwriters, songwriters, and all around nice guys. Three little works: tune in Tuesday!
This week, the Bad Piano Player takes another six-song sojourn into the many faceted career of Tom Waits. Tom Waits II, the sequel.
Against the advice of his longtime therapist, the Bad Piano Player will both have and be playing the blues this week. W.C. Handy will make an appearance!
On his one-ear anniversary show, the bad piano player showcases the songs and career of Al Jolson. The ego has landed!
This week, the Bad Piano Player goes back to his roots with a composer you mights not know, but you know his songs! Isham Jones, meet the downloaders.
This week, the Bad Piano Player will be showcasing weather songs. Rain, clouds, sunny days, and stormy weather.
This week the Bad Piano Player assays his longtime nemesis and we learn about the wealthy and witty songwriter from Peru, Indiana: Cole Porter.
This week, the Bad Piano Player celebrates St. Patrick's Day with a short look at the history of Irish Folk music. Bain taitneamh as, mo chraoladh!
This week, the Bad Piano Player Podcast explres songs from three forgotten musicals covering the gold rush, Tammamy Hall, and cruise ships.
This week the Bad Piano Player features one of his idols, the immensely witty and wonderful Tom Lehrer. Will it include an interview? Tune in to find out!
This week, The Bad Piano Player returns to composers you've probably never heard of with a solid group of classic Walter Donaldson melodies. Nothing could be finer!
This week, The Bad Piano Player dives into comic and novelty songs, covering hospitalization, tattoos, bravery, lineage, and baseball.
This week includes Valentine's Day, so the Bad Piano Player is featuring romantic songs. Well, HE thinks they're romantic. Cuddle up, people.
This week, the Bad Piano Player finally features a modern songwriter, albeit a throwback, as we learn about the inestimable Tom Waits.
In honour of Robert Burns day, the Bad Piano Player features Scottish music and how it was shaped by history. D'ye ken?
This week, the Bad Piano Player gives a history lesson in Birdsong. I mean, songs about birds. "Fly, Robin, Fly" will not be played, if you were wondering.
This week the Bad Piano Player makes his second deep dive into the music of the master, Irving Berlin, with some special appearances.
In the first episode of season two, the Bad Piano Player sings of a home where the buffalo roam with six cowboy songs. Happy New Year to all of our listeners!
This week The Bad Piano Player goes back to his “Favourite Songs” file, including a duet with Mrs. Mediocre Singer!
This week, the Bad Piano Player features the prolific partnership of composer Jule Styne and lyricist Sammy Cahn.
This week, The Bad Piano Player features the amazingly tuneful composer, Jimmy Van Heusen.
This week the Bad Piano Player learns about the movie songwriting team of Arthur Freed, producer /lyricist, and Nacio Herb Brown, composer.
This week the bad piano player takes a suggestion from his fanbase and learns about lyricist Ted Koehler, who wrote many of the hits behind Shirley Temple films.
This week the bad piano player dives into his large collection of compilation songbooks.
Lyricist Jack Yellen is featured on this week's episode. From Eddie Cantor to Paul Whiteman to Shirley Temple.
This week the bad piano player takes a second look at Frank Lesser, the lyricist and composer of "Guys and Dolls," and other famous songs.
This week the bad piano player learns about the great Eddie Cantor: singer, comedian, "banjo eyes."
This week the bad piano player takes a second dive into the voluminous catalogue of Harry Warren.
This week the bad piano player learns about famous broadway teams, some you've heard of, some you haven't.
This week the bad piano player learns about Richard A. Whiting, who wrote the famous Shirley Temple tune about lollipops.
This week the Bad Piano Player learns about the highly esteemed composer & lyricist, Irving Berlin, and his creation of "American" music.
This week the Bad Piano Player dives into the world of Vaudeville, the very beginnings of comedy and variety theatre.
This week the Bad Piano Player learns about Dorothy Fields, the lyricist behind some of the most well known songs in the world.
This week the bad piano player delves into more of his favourite songs from his immense collection of music.
This week the bad piano player learns about more female lyricists and composers like Carolyn Leigh and Cindy Walker.
The bad piano player learns about Johnny Mercer this week, the Oscar-winning lyricist who penned many jazz standards including "Autumn Leaves" and the everlasting "Moon River."
This week the bad piano players learns about Hoagy Carmichael, the American singer, songwriter, and actor.
This week the bad piano player learns about Joe Young, the lyricist responsible for some of the longest titles in the American songbook.
In this week's episode, the bad piano player chooses some of his favourite songs to learn about.
This week, the Bad Piano Player learns about lyricist Gus Kahn, who penned some of the best songs in the American songbook.
By request, the Bad Piano Player showcases female lyricists and composers of the 40’s and 50's.
This week the bad piano player learns about Sam Stept, the writer behind many great hits. He also gets a request for more dogs in the podcast, and the sound engineer finally weighs in.
This week the bad piano player learns about Carl Sigman, the man behind infamous songs such as "Crazy, He Calls Me" and "Robin Hood."
This week, the bad piano player learns about Mitchell Parish, the esteemed lyricist that wrote the famous Christmas song, "Sleigh Ride."
This week, armed with a new sound engineer, the Bad Piano Player learns more on the songs of the second World War, this time in the USA.
This week the bad piano player discusses European songs of World War II. After deciding there were just too many good songs to pick from, he thought he would make this a two-part series.
The bad piano player discusses the music of Frank Loesser, famous composer of beloved Broadway musicals such as "Guys and Dolls" and "How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying."
The bad piano player begins his podcast with his favourite popular music composer, Harry Warren.